Today is Syttende Mai (17th of May)

May 17 is Norwegian Constitution Day, or grunnlovsdag, commonly known as "Syttende Mai." Syttende Mai (literally, "17th of May") is a celebration of the day in 1814 when Norway's constitution was signed in the town of Eidsvoll, Norway.
Children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. So wave a Norwegian flag and eat some lutefisk. Never heard of lutefisk, well the direct translation is lye fish. My personal experience with it was as a Christmas Eve tradition. I never did eat it for two reasons. First, the smell and second, the fact that my parents had to use stainless steel utensils because the silverware tarnished upon contact with the lutefisk.

May Out to Lunch

Date: May 22nd
Time: 12 pm
Location: El Pastigel Rincon, 154 E. Chicago St. Elgin, IL
- Our guest speaker is Shari Matthews Huizar, the Executive Director from Centro de Informacion. The price is $7 including soda. Please RSVP to 847.488.1456 by May 19th.

New Drive-Up Window at the Library

The Gail Borden Public Library is very pleased to offer the new drive-up service. Customers may call ahead to request books, DVDs, music CDs, recorded books and CD Roms for pick up at the drive-up window. To ensure prompt service, customers are asked to allow 2 hours to process requests and to limit requests to 5 items. Customers may call (847) 742-2411 to request drive-up service. Customers will be asked to come inside for library card registration and payment for fines or lost materials.

Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour

Celebrate International Museum Day with a Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour!
Let your curiosity take you behind the scenes at Elgin Historical Museum, 360 Park St. Tours will be conducted on May 17th at 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM. Advance regstration recommended. For additional information contact the Old Main Museum at 847-742-4248.

How Far Does Our Web Presence Reach?

The Internet exposes life in Elgin, IL to the world. The vast majority of visitors to the DNA's web site and blog are from the Fox Valley but every week there are hits from other states and other countries. Today I took note of a visitor from Cote d'Ivoire. Now it has been many years since my last geography test but I still recognize most countries listed in the log but this one stood out so I did a quick Google search to enlighten me. These are the facts on Cote d'Ivoire according to the CIA. Go to the link for all the details.

Cote d'Ivoire
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Area - Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Population: 17,654,843
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and weather conditions.

Now if I had studied French it wouldn't have taken me until this point for the light bulb to go off and to realize that Cote d'Ivoire was formerly known as the Ivory Coast. The Google translation is Dimension Ivory, so maybe someone that did study French can comment on the translation.

If the person who viewed our site from Cote d'Ivoire happens to read this, please post a comment so we know the circuitous (I had to use the dictionary for this one) path that lead you to us.

Anyone else who uses the web to keep up with What's Happening Here or just happened to land here, please post a comment to let us know where you are located and what you were looking for.
It would interesting to hear from our regular visitors from Arizona, France and Texas.

Police Officer Memorial Service

The Elgin Police Department is hosting the Annual Police Officer Memorial Service Monday, May 15th at 2:30 pm. It will be held in front of the police station at 151 Douglas Ave. The service is held annually to pay respect to officers who were killed in the line of duty locally and across the country as well as those members who have passed away during the past year.

The week of May 14th through May 22nd is National Police Week.

Preservation Month Activities - May 12 to May 18

“Historic Visions” A Gallery Walk in Downtown Elgin
The Downtown Neighborhood Association invites you to a special gallery walk May 17th from 5pm to 9pm showcasing Elgin’s vibrant history, as various artists - Elgin Area Historical Society, Keith French, Kirk Lawler, Warren Mogler, and Robert Winner - share their vision of historic preservation at Elgin in several Downtown locations:
Hines Building at 24 Douglas Ave.
The Elgin Tower Building at 2 Douglas Ave.
Pastigel at 154 E. Chicago Street
Elgin Books at 209 E. Chicago St
Kirkpatrick, Jones & Sharf Insurance at 19 S. Spring St.
Attendees may enter a free raffle for a framed architectural detail in Downtown Elgin courtesy of Artistic Framing and Supplies and professional photographer Kirk Lawler. This event is organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Design Committee as part of the Preservation Month activities and in an effort to promote the rich and historic architecture of Downtown Elgin. For more information, please call (847)488-1456 or visit www.downtownelgin.org

I Spy Downtown... An Architectural Hunt for Kids
Bring the whole family in a search of architectural details throughout the various buildings in Downtown Elgin. Enjoy the unique historic atmosphere on an ongoing self guided treasure hunt as part of the Preservation Month activities. Find the "I Spy Downtown" flier at the Gail Borden Public Library (270 N. Grove), at Al’s Café & Creamery (43 Dupage Court), and the Downtown Neighborhood Association's office ( 2 Douglas Avenue). Completed entries can be returned at 2 Douglas Avenue between M-F 8:30 - 5:00pm and will receive a FREE “Exploring Elgin” coloring book. Correct entries will be entered into a raffle for prizes from Al’s Café & Creamery, Elgin Area Historical Society, Elgin Books, and photographer Kirk Lawler. Don't miss it! The deadline for entries is June 9th. This event is organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Design Committee in an effort to promote the rich and historic architecture of Downtown Elgin. For more information, please call (847)488-1456 or visit www.downtownelgin.org

Sell to the City

Do you have an Elgin business that is interested in selling your product to the city? Then this is an opportunity for you.

The City of Elgin is hosting a vendor fair for their employees. This will be an opportunity for Elgin businesses to showcase their products and services to the City employees. Every Elgin business is eligible but due to space constraints selected vendors will be chosen based on response, vendor variety and employees' needs.
The goal is to provide businesses access to City employees as potential customers. It is recommended that participating vendors provide samples, offer coupons or discounted rates for individual employee purchase. There is no fee for participation in the event.
The event will be held on Tuesday June 27 from 10 am to 1 pm at The Centre Heritage Ballroom.
All interested merchants must complete an application and return it to Daina DeNye, City of Elgin Purchasing Department, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin IL 60120, fax (847) 931-5689, no later than June 6, 2006.
If you have any questions regarding this event, please email Daina Denye at denye_d@cityofelgin.org or call 847-931-5604.

Construction on Riverside Drive and Grove Ave

Novak Construction, the General Contractor doing the construction on Riverside and Grove Streets will begin May 8, 2006. The work on Grove will require a large excavation in the public sidewalk along the west side of the street. The work will be done on the west half of the road from the center line toward the building requiring southbound lane closures during the day. Flagmen will be used to direct traffic in the remaining northbound lane and trench platting at night.

Please avoid the portion of Grove Avenue between Chicago and Spring if possible.

This Weekend during Preservation Month, May 4 - May 6

Thursday, May 4
Mayor's Awards for Preservation
The Elgin Heritage Commission honors outstanding contributors to Elgin's heritage. Honorees have demonstrated their dedication to older architecture, neighborhoods and history.
Sponsored by the Elgin Heritage Commission.
Call Sarosh Saher at (847) 931-5943.
Location: Heritage Ballroom, The Centre of Elgin.
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm. (Ceremony at 7:00pm.)

Saturday, May 6
The Great Unveiling
Celebrate the 9th Annual Great Unveiling as neighborhood organizations sponsor the removal of substitute siding in an old fashioned barn raising atmosphere at two Elgin residences. Free volunteer labor and a monetary gift is provided to property owners that have applied to have the nonoriginal artificial siding removed from their historic homes. It's a busy day for all volunteers!
Sponsored by the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) and Admirers of Beautiful Old Dwellings of Elgin (ABODE).
Contact Jeff Gill at (847) 468-1926 or Brian Anderson at (847) 741-1177.
Location: 856 North Spring St.
Time: 9:00am - noon. (lunch will be served)

Firefighters Memorial Service
Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, Elgin Fire Barn No.5 is the appropriate site for a memorial service and dedication ceremony to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty this past year and retirees from Elgin and nearby communities.
Sponsored by the Elgin Fire Department and Elgin Fire Barn No. 5.
Contact Timothy Ryan at (847) 931-6175.
Location: Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 at 533 St. Charles Street.
Time: 11:00am.

Walk it, See it, Feel it
An educational walking tour of West Elgin that will use history, stories, and hands-on experience to enhance participants knowledge of Elgin's development as a city. Learn about the influences that shaped development of West Elgin, the Kimball Family, pre-Civil War architecture, cobblestone buildings, the topography of the area, and the social changes that continue to influence this part of the city.
Sponsored by the Elgin Area Historic Society
Contact Mary Hill at (847) 695-9659 or eahs360@foxvalley.net.
Location: 52 N. Crystal Street. Park on neighborhood streets.
Time: 1:00pm.

CInco de Mayo Carnival, Fest and Parade

Carnival and Fest
Rides, food vendors, entertainment, games, information booths and more!! The Fest will be from May 4th thru May 7th on the corner of N. Grove and Kimball in the old Gail Borden parking lot.

The hours are Thursday 5pm-10pm, Friday 5pm-11pm, Saturday 12pm-11pm , and Sunday 12pm-10pm. Unlimited ride specials will be on Thursday 5pm-9pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm.

Parade
Saturday, May 6th at 10 am
The Cinco de Mayo parade will start at Fulton and Spring (between ECC Fountain Square Campus and the Fulton St. Parking garage). It will proceed North on Spring Street and turn West onto Symphony Way ending at the Fest location.

For more information call 847.488.1456

Hemmens 2006-2007 Season

The Hemmens 2006 - 2007 season was announced yesterday. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. May 24. Call (847) 931-5900 or visit http://www.hemmens.org/ for details. Read the April 28th Daily Herald article here.

2006
•Rock band Survivor: 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
•Paramount’s LaserSpectacular featuring the music of Pink Floyd: 8 p.m. Sept. 23
•Chicago singer/songwriter Cathy Richardson: at 8 p.m. Sept. 29.
•Country star Phil Vassar: 8 p.m. Sept. 30.
•Glenn Miller Orchestra: 3 p.m. Oct. 1
•Political satirists Capitol Steps: 8 p.m. Oct. 13.
•Political satirist P.J. O’Rourke: 8 p.m. Oct. 14.
•Blues legend Bo Diddley: 8 p.m. Oct. 20.
•New age pianist George Winston: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7.
•Blues legend B.B. King: 8 p.m. Nov. 9.
•Comedian and actress Kathy Griffin: 8 p.m. Nov. 10.
•British Invasion seminal figure Eric Burdon & The Animals: 8 p.m. Nov. 11.
•Singer Kathy Mattea: 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
•Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch: 8 p.m. Nov. 18.
•Grammy-winning gospel, country and jazz group Aaron Neville Quartet featuring Charles Neville: Dec. 1.
•New age and world music from David Cullen, Will Ackerman, Philip Aaberg and Samite, of Windam Hill: 8 p.m. Dec. 2.
•Country group Oak Ridge Boys: 8 p.m. Dec. 16.

2007
•Southern African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo: 8 p.m. Feb. 16
•Dancing illusionists MOMIX: 7 p.m. Nov. 25
•Celtic singer Natalie MacMaster: 7 p.m. March 11.
•Neil Simon’s play “Lost in Yonkers”: 8 p.m. March 23 and 24.
•Bluegrass act Cherryholmes: April 29
•Jim Peterik & World Stage, a concert with top musicians and songwriters celebrating Peterik’s 35-year career in music: 8 p.m. May 18

Seeking Artists

The American Association of University Women-Elgin branch is seeking artists to exhibit at the 47th annual Art Showcase of the Elgin Fine Arts Festival, Aug. 5-6, in Elgin's Civic Center Plaza. Only original work will be accepted. Entry deadline is May 1, or until all sites are filled. For an entry form, send a No. 10 SASE to Art Showcase, 602 Prospect St., Elgin, IL 60120.

Elgin Design Workshop

Attention all Elgin building owners!! Bring your building/business renovation project challenges, projecting sign ideas, and more in to discuss with professional designers and architects.

The workshop will be held on Thursday April 27th from 5pm-8pm at the Downtown Neighborhood Association office on the 1st floor of the Elgin Tower building at 2 Douglas Avenue.

Learn some basic renovation principles you can use on any project and then sign up for a FREE consultation with professionals to point you in the right direction and give you valuable advice.
This workshop is sponsored by the Downtown Neighborhood Association Design Committee. Call 847.488.1456 for more information.

Calling all Photographers, Project Elgin 1440

Project Elgin 1440 is calling on all photographers, amateur and professional, to document a single day in the life of Elgin on Tuesday, May 2.

In the attempt to capture the essence of life in Elgin, project Elgin 1440 seeks to exhibit photographs which will be taken from midnight to midnight on May 2nd within the city of Elgin. Photos will be publicly displayed in the city of Elgin.

Update
The photos are on display until July 10th at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove.

Who may submit photographs?
Photographers 14 years and up.

What types of photographs are eligible for display?
You may submit any photographs of people, places, things or events taken in Elgin. We want the photographs to represent the essence of Elgin. We want your personal vision of Elgin. Photos must be suitable for public exhibition.

What format should the photographs be in?
Photographs may be either black and white or color. Prints must be no smaller than 8 x 10 inches and no larger than 11 x 14 inches. They must be matted or mounted on white card stock. Prints should be sent of digital files. Photos should not have been substantially manipulated.

What information should be provided with the photo?
On a label attached to the back of the photo, state the name, address and telephone number of the photographer. It must also include the location and exact time the photograph was taken. Any additional information about the photograph would be helpful.

How many photographs can be submitted?
You may submit no more than five (5) photographs.

When is the deadline?
No later than Monday, May 15 by 5:00 pm

Where do I send the photos?
Gil Feliciano
City of Elgin
150 Dexter Ct.
Elgin, IL 60120
Photos may also be delivered to City Hall.

Photos will not be returned. They will remain the sole property of the City of Elgin with all rights hereunto.

Any further questions may be directly addressed to
Gil Feliciano at 847-931-6019 or via email.

Links to other articles:
Courier News
Points of Life blog
Fox Valley Arts Council

City Interested in Unilever Site

The city is close to acquiring the Unilever site on State St. Read the Courier article. This would open up a view to the river from State St.
Link to Unilever site.
Link to parking lot on State.
Link to parking lot on Crystal.

The Moose Lodge across the street from the Unilever plant is also for sale. Read the Daily Herald article here.

Gail Borden Library Presented Marshall Cavendish Excellence Award

The Gail Borden Public Library is the winner of the Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award for its project "GIANTS: African Dinosaurs," created by Project Exploration. Congratulations for a job well done. What's next?

See the details below:
"Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award named."American Library Association. 2006.

The Downtown Elgin Blog is Back

We were identified as a Spam Blog by Bloggers automated system and have been out of commission since Friday. A human finally reviewed the blog and gave it the OK to go back online. See the email from Blogger below:

Hi there,
Thanks for writing in. It seems that your blog was mistakenly targeted by our automated spam classifying system. However, I have checked your blog and can verify that it complies with our Terms of Service. I was able to restore it to your account, so you should see it the next time you log in. I also whitelisted it so that this problem will not recur. Note that you will need to republish your blog in order for it to be visible online again. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue has caused.

Sincerely,
Sarah
Blogger Support

Thank you Sarah. I was feeling like Dave in 2001 A Space Odyssey. "Sorry Dave, I can't do that."

The Elginite - Elgin blog: Kresmery Art Center anyone?

The Elginite has two articles on an Art Center in downtown. He has done his homework on this one. I provided the links and full text below.

The Elginite - Elgin blog: Kresmery Art Center anyone?

Part One
The more I examine this picture of Kurt Kresmery's warehouse on the old Waverly House site, the more impressed I am. To me, it looks like an ingenius blend of several styles--Classical Revival, Commercial/Chicago, Deco perhaps. It's really beautiful. A little cleaning would make it look marvelous. Since the Courier's story seemed to suggest that Mr. Kresmery may still be considering ways to reuse the building, I thought I would mention one possible use: an art center. Many other communities have them. They're frequently housed in an old industrial building. And I think this building is particularly suited for the purpose.Have you been to Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago? I was there one time last year to examine their pottery studios and their ceramics. I was really impressed. It would be great to see something like that in Elgin.The benefits of an art center extend beyond those who use it. It can catalyze urban renewal. Look at what happened in South Florida:

ArtCenter was established in 1984 by a small group of artists who envisioned a potential cultural renaissance in what was then a blighted and vacant Lincoln Road. In partnership with the City of Miami Beach, the group obtained Federal Community Development Block Grant funds to acquire properties and create an artists' colony in 21 storefront spaces. Since then, ArtCenter has become the cultural and economic catalyst for the revitalization of the Lincoln Road neighborhood and South Beach. In 1986, the City of Miami Beach recognized the success of our founders' vision by designating ArtCenter's three-block area as the Lincoln Road Arts District.
Today, Lincoln Road is a lively magnet for culture, entertainment, retail business and community activity, and Miami Beach is arguably the cultural center of South Florida. Now recognized as one of Miami-Dade County's major cultural institutions, ArtCenter operates from its three historic buildings at 800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road. The nearly 60,000 square foot campus encompasses 52 artists' studios, exhibition galleries, art education classrooms and administrative offices. Of the 7.2 million international and national visitors to Miami/South Beach annually, hundreds of thousands walk down Lincoln Road and view ArtCenter's display windows and
exhibitions. For its role in the shaping of South Florida's cultural landscape, ArtCenter has received recognition from local media such as New Times, which in 1997 called us the "best gallery in Miami", and from national media such as The Wall Street Journal, which in 1998 reported that our "presence has transformed the area...into a hub of commerce." In its May and November 1999 issues featuring the Greater Miami art community, Art in America magazine highlighted ArtCenter's "impact on the Miami art scene and its emerging profile" describing ArtCenter as "a gathering place for talented and ambitious young Miami artists."
(source: ArtCenter South Florida website)

These art centers are generally run by nonprofits, which means Mr. Kresmery may need to accomplish this transformation from "blight" to destination through a great act of philanthropy, donating the building to a nonprofit and taking the deduction against his River Park Place profits. Since property prices are currently inflated, this may be more financially attractive than it sounds.Here are some community art centers, which may give you an idea of what a Kresmery Art Center might look like:
Lillstreet Art Center (Chicago)
Kimball Art Center (Park City, Utah)
Lawrence Arts Center (Lawrence, Kansas)
ArtCenter/ South Florida (Miami Beach, Florida)
Gallery 37 Center for the Arts (Chicago)
Steamboat Springs Art Council (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
Sedona Arts Center (Sedona, Arizona)

The Elginite - Elgin blog: More about an arts center

Part Two
Last week I mentioned the possibility of an art(s) center in Elgin. I may not have been clear about what I meant. Some museums call themselves art centers, but by art center I didn't mean museum (though Elgin can use one of those too). What I meant was a place that offers art programs and instruction, galleries, studios and so on; a place where artists work, not just a place where their works are displayed. Here are some more examples: Artspace Fort Worth Community Arts Center Arlington Center for the Arts Beverly Arts Center - Chicago Contemporary Artists Center (CAC) - North Adams Torpedo Factory Art Center - AlexandriaThe last two of these are especially interesting. Both are housed in massive old industrial buildings. The Beaver Mill, home of the CAC, is a 130,000 sq ft historic brick and stone mill... The CAC comprises 25,000 sq ft of the building and houses five galleries, a residency hall, and approximately 12,000 sq ft of studio space. (source: CACNorth Adams)Yeah that's big. As for the Torpedo Factory, it has 3 levels of 84 artist studios, 8 group studios and 6 galleries. The Torpedo Factory's experience may be instructive for Elgin: Work began on the building in May of 1974, with artists and the City of Alexandria working together to renovate, build and clean out the interior...By July, artists had converted the huge space into a complex of bright and clean studios. Most of the studio spaces had been reserved by that time from a list of juried artists.By 1983, the building needed major repairs and improvements. As part of a sale/lease-back agreement (a use of special federal tax provisions allowing for renovation of historic buildings), the building was sold to Alexandria Art Center Associates, leased back from AACA by the City, and subleased to the Torpedo Factory Artists' Association. As part of the sale agreement, the City had a one time repurchase option to be exercised in 1998.The City Council approved the repurchase on August 31, 1998. The purchase price was negotiated in a prescribed series of appraisals. A balloon payment from the original loan to AACA in 1983 covered most of the purchase cost.In the lease agreement that ran from 1983 to 1998, the City was responsible on an annual basis for many operating costs, a percentage of real estate taxes, and 1/3 of the utilities in addition to annual rent payments. Since 1983, the City and the artists have split equally the operating costs of the Art Center including the payroll for city staff.In 1994, the Office of Budget and Management did a management study of the Art Center. At this time a recommendation to "privatize" the Art Center in 1998 was made by the City Manager. Over the last two years, the Artists' Association and the City have negotiated parameters which govern the privatization.On September 1, 1998 the Artists' Association took over all management of the building, and the City now acts as landlord. Factored into the artists' rent were the repurchase cost in excess of the balloon payment, including 62% (a number based on the artist-occupied percentage of the building) of the interest, general service operating costs, and all future maintenance and repair costs excluding exterior repairs. The artists are responsible for 62% of utility costs. All other operating costs are borne by the artists, including all administrative, janitorial, security, staff, advertising, printing, minor building maintenance, lighting supplies, and insurance for the entire building. (source: Torpedo Factory)In my view, projects like this may offer a higher return and incur fewer risks than the boondoggles to which we have become accustomed.

Full-text Courier and Herald articles on GBL site from The Elginite - Elgin blog

Good tip from The Elginite.

A month or so ago, I discovered that you could get old Chicagoland (Elgin Daily Courier, Herald, Chicago Tribune, Sun Times) newspaper articles on the Gail Borden Public Library site.

It looks like about 10 years worth of articles have been indexed and are available to anyone with a GBL library card. The periodicals librarian didn't know about this database at the time I found it, so my guess is that it's somewhat newly available to us.

Here's the link. And instructions if you need them:

1. Log in with your library card number
2. Select View All by Title
3. Select Chicagoland Newspapers

The Elginite - Elgin blog

Downtown Blog Is One Year Old

The first posting on the downtown blog was on March 11, 2005. It has been a learning experience with many rewards. A year ago many in the community didn't know what a blog was. Now, the blog has become the source for downtown information. It has enhanced the presence of downtown Elgin in internet search engines. We have been able to rapidly add new features such as a community calendar, mapping and photo sharing.

In year two we will be moving many of the side bar features to a revamped web site while shifting the focus of the blog to downtown stories and coverage of events. I look forward to another year of posts and comments.

29th Annual Jane Chipman Memorial Lenten Organ Recitals

The Music Ministry of the First Congregational Church of Elgin and Jon Warfel, organist and music director, present the 29th Annual series of Jane Chipman Memorial Lenten Organ Recitals starting promptly at noon March 3rd. This half hour concert is free and open to the public.

The series was conceived by the late Jane Chipman. She invited organists from around the Fox Valley to come to FCC and present their talents for the enjoyment of the community. This will be the first series performed since the death of Mrs. Chipman last year. The church's current Music Director and Organist, Jon Warfel, plans and directs the Lenten programs. Jon's background includes being involved with several area churches and organizations including the Director of Music at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva and Organist at Community Congregational church in Batavia. He has been the Director of Choral Activities at Waubonsee Community College since 1977. In addition since 2000 Jon has directed the Naperville Chamber Singers. He performs regularly with the "Buffalo Shufflers, a Roaring Twenties Show Band." In 1992 Mr. Warfel was chosen the outstanding Young Alumni of Northern Illinois University and in 1995 he received the Faculty of the Year Award from Waubonsee Community College. Jon has been a featured artist with the Orchestra of Illinois, The Illinois Chamber Symphony and the Fox Valley Symphony. The Lenten Organ series starts on March 3rd and runs through Good Friday. All concerts are held at the First Congregational Church at 256 E. Chicago St. Elgin. The church office can be reached at 847-741-4045.

This year's schedule is as follows:

3-03 Charles Sega, Director of Music/Organist, St. David's Episcopal Church Glenview

3-10 Richard Spantikow, Organist/Choirmaster, All Saints Episcopal Church, Western Springs

3-17 Jon Warfel, Music Director/Organist, First Congregational Church,
Elgin

3-24 Howard Bakken, Former Director of Music/Organist, First Congregational Church, Elgin

3-31 Deborah Ayotte

4-7 John Kevin Linker, Director of Music/Organist, Church of the Good
Shepherd, Lexington, KY

4-14 Requiem in d minor, by Joseph Rheinberger, Chancel Choir
of First Congregational Church Elgin

Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Wins Awards

Congratulations to the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for receiving top honors in three categories at the 2006 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism. The awards were for Best Visitors Guide, Best E-Newsletter, and Best Single Print Advertisement, for material produced in 2005.

Read the Courier News article here.

The EACVB serves 13 communities, including Bartlett, Carpentersville, East Dundee, Elgin, Gilberts, Hampshire, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Marengo, Sleepy Hollow, South Elgin, Union and West Dundee.
For more information, call (847) 695-7540 or visit http://www.northernfoxrivervalley.com/ .

Deadline for Elgin Mayor’s Awards for Preservation

Today is the last day to submit a nomination for the Mayor’s Awards for Preservation.

For more information or questions regarding the Mayor’s Awards please contact Cindy Walden at 847-931-5910. Nomination are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2006, to Cindy Walden, Planning Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, Illinois, 60120-5555. Those selected to receive a Mayor’s Award will be notified by April 2006.

Elgin Receives Grant for Historic Survey

The State of Illinois has awarded a $10,920.00 grant to Elgin for an intensive downtown survey of historic resources dating from 1840-1880. A new surge of downtown redevelopment has raised concerns for these remaining historic resources, since a large portion of Elgin was demolished between 1950-1960 to make way for urban renewal and civic center parking.
Contact Sarosh Saher (847) 931-5943 for more information.

Crocker Parking Lot to Close March 1st

The Crocker parking lot will close on March 1st to allow construction to begin on the River Park Place condominium project.
Alternate parking can be found in the new Fulton St. parking deck and on street parking is available on Grove Avenue and Prairie Street.

Corporate Friday's at Let's Meet for Coffee

Lachell Jeffries, the owner of Let's Meet for Coffee, is starting a new program on February 24th called Corporate Friday. Your company provides a T-shirt with your company name and brochures and they will wear your shirt and display the brochures. All they ask is for you to send people into the shop to buy coffee.

Chase Bank has signed up for Friday and the next few weeks are already filled. Call Lachell at (847)289-1122 if you are interested in participating.

Let's Meet for Coffee
109 E. Highland Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120

Out to Lunch at the DNA Office, February 27th

Lunch and network with us at the DNA office. Sherman Hospital will present the design for the new hospital on the west side and the plan for the existing location on the east side of Elgin. Call (847) 488-1456 to RSVP. Sandwiches from Quizno’s and beverages from Let’s Meet for Coffee will be available.

Monday, February 27th at 12 pm
DNA Office
2 Douglas Ave.
Elgin, IL

Architectural Salvage at Lovellton

Architectural Salvage
Saturday, February 18
Viewing and bidding will take place from 8:00 to 11:00 am
Lovellton
600 Villa St.(Corner of Villa and Liberty)
Elgin, IL

A Silent Auction will be held at Lovellton whose older portion dates to ca. 1870 and newer portions around the turn of the century. Proceeds will be used by the Gifford Park Association for neighborhood projects. Viewing and bidding will take place from 8:00 to 11:00 am. on Saturday February 18. Leave yourself a lot of time as it is a huge building with a lot to see. No one under the age of 18 will be allowed in the building. Everyone entering must sign a statement saying that they have health insurance and sign a waiver of liability. Bring flashlights and wear sturdy boots and warm clothes.

At 2:00 pm winning bids will be posted. Winning bidders can remove their things from then until 9:00 pm, or Sunday, February 19 and Monday February 20 from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Some of the items available for salvage:
Windows, doors, casings and baseboard from many eras.
Faux marble fireplace mantel, large stained glass window, tin ceilings, plaster corbels.
Early 20th cent. oak rail, balustrade and newel.
Thin oak and maple flooring.
Bungalow era built in china cupboard and floor to ceiling kitchen cupboard.

Newer: office furnishings, tables, chairs, couches, beds, wardrobes, counters etc. Commercial stainless kitchen, stainless island with pot rack. Light fixtures, wall to wall carpet/border, register covers, steel shelving.
Two Toro lawn mowers, large water heaters, air conditioning units.
Nice Paintings. Marble counters and pieces.
Professional exercise equipment, ping pong table, basketball hoops.
Upright piano.

For pictures, visit the GPA web site.
Thanks goes out to Steve Swanson of Brownstone Development, Mayor Schock and Ray Moller for making this happen.
If you have questions contact Dan or Pat Miller at 847-697-3370 or email

UPDATE:
Summary of the Lovellton Salvage
The Gifford Park Association was given final salvage rights on Wednesday February 8th, entrance into the building on February 9th with the auction taking place on the 18th. Habitat for Humanity took several small box trucks full of furniture for the ReStore shop. The Larkin Center filled a large, professional moving van with furniture. It took four men a day to move the stuff.
Almost 400 people came through the building to view and bid on things. It took four tanks of propane to keep us warm in the below zero weather on Saturday. George Doscher was our savior when he showed up with a large out door heater. Without being asked, Ricardo Mancha of 155 S. Channing brought his propane heater for us to use.
Twenty-seven volunteers spent a total of 161 hours on the project. It took eight volunteers an hour and a half to sort hundreds of bids coming up with 181 winners in fifty-two separate areas of the building.
Twenty dust masks were donated by GPA and many winning bidders brought their own. Bill Witte won the award for eating the most dust while taking down hundreds of square feet of tin ceiling.
Hundreds of $5.00 minimum bids after the auction were accepted. One gentleman filled a large rental truck with $5.00 beds and armoires.
The General Contractor for Walgreen's sent a worker to supervise us to make sure no one got hurt. He stood under the heater the whole time.
Some of the winning bids:
Front doors $1525
Inner vestibule doors $850
Two sets of parlor doors $650
Stair case $400
Tin ceiling in the parlor $350
Floor in the parlor $350
Stained glass window $350
Fireplace mantle $600
Stainless steel island with pot rack $12.50 was later sold to another party for $62
Prairie style sun porch windows and doors $600
Copper from the basement $130 (the winner got thousands of dollars for the copper)
Copper from the remainder of the building $50 (winner got thousands of dollars for the copper)
We took in a total of $9064 with about $500 in expenses. Thanks goes out to all of our volunteers who braved the cold, Mayor Schock, Ray Moller and Steve Swanson of Brookstone Development for making this happen.

Let's Meet for Coffee Ribbon Cutting

February 13th at 4:30 p.m.
109 E. Highland
(847)289-1122

Valentines Day Activities

Friday, February 10th

• Candlelight Dinner at the Wonderland Center 7:30 p.m. Reservations required (847)888-8558
• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180
• David Sanborn at the Hemmens Cultural Center 8:00 p.m. call (847)931-5900

Saturday, February 11th

• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180

Tuesday, February 14th

• Al's Cafe Candlelight Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended (847)742-1180
• Singles Night Out at Let's Meet for Coffee 6 to 8:30 p.m. limited seating call (847)289-1122
• Café Magdalena - Enjoy a romantic Italian dinner (847)742-2270
• The Great American Family Diner - Candle lit dining room with live music entertainment and
  dancing. (847)289-0524

More ideas...

• Buy a gift at a downtown shop. Jewelry, books, sporting goods, cigars, flowers and more
• Create your own dinner package at one of the many downtown restaurants

Click the image below for more ideas

Elgin Heritage Commission Seeking Mayor's Awards Nominations

The Elgin Heritage Commission is seeking nominations for the 2006 Elgin Mayor’s Awards for Preservation. These annual awards honor outstanding contributions to Elgin’s heritage and educate the general public of the value of our unique architecture, neighborhoods, and history. The awards further the Heritage Commission’s goals of neighborhood and downtown revitalization to benefit the entire city of Elgin. Three awards are honors of distinction: The Mayor George Van De Voorde Award, The William Stickling Award and The Artisan Award.
Winners are selected by members of the Elgin Heritage Commission, and will be honored at the annual Mayor’s Awards for Preservation event scheduled for Thursday, May 4, 2006 at The Centre of Elgin.
For more information or questions regarding the Mayor’s Awards please contact Cindy Walden at 847-931-5910. Nomination are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2006, to Cindy Walden, Planning Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, Illinois, 60120-5555. Those selected to receive a Mayor’s Award will be notified by April 2006.
The Elgin Heritage Commission is a citizen’s advisory board that promotes Elgin’s historic preservation activity through the protection, maintenance and preservation of the City’s architecture, historic and cultural resources. The Elgin Heritage Commission is composed of nine voting members appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Elgin City Council.

Priority Places - Where Smart Transportation Gets Done!

The Kane County Board is presenting a Smart Transportation workshop on February 22, 2006 at the Q Center in St. Charles. It runs from 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Agenda Topics include:
-Kane County Transportation and Land Use Connection
-Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl
-Visual Preference Survey
-Roundabout Development and Implementation
-Transportation and Land Use Innovations
-Mobility Choices
-Lunch

This workshop is the second in a series of implementation workshops for the 2030 Plans. Transportation congestion, diversified housing and sustainable water supply are the three main challenges of the 2030 Plans. Our Transportation Challenge is to coordinate Smart Growth land use planning with Smart Transportation planning to reduce the growth of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by 20%. Come hear transportation and land use experts explain how we can meet our transportation challenges in the Urban Corridor and critical Growth Area!

The cost is $20 and pre-registration is required by 2/15/2006, no walk in registration. Call (630)208-3320 for more information

UPDATE: Here's a link the the county's 2030 Plans.

Arts Funding Workshop - February 6th

The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, Representative Ruth Munson and Senator Steven Rauschenberger are sponsoring an Arts Funding Workshop conducted by the Illinois Arts Councilat 5:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in Elgin.

Thousands of dollars are distributed each year for the arts by the Illinois Arts Council. This free workshop will provide information about funding, resources, and programs that will help keep Elgin a vibrant arts community.We are sponsoring this workshop as a service to the organizations in the area that may be eligible for funding. We will discuss what arts programs are available, the application process for grants, and when and how often organizations can apply.

The workshop is free, however seating is limited. Therefore you must be registered to attend. You may register by calling Gil Feliciano at 847-931-6019.

"Giving Hope" in Rwanda Africa

The First Congregational Church of Elgin Mission Grants Committee is hosting Ms. Epiphanine Mujawimana, the program director for the Rwanda YWCA. She oversees the "Giving Hope" program which is empowering orphaned heads of households affected by HIV/AIDS. The program was a recipient of a 2006 Mission Grant.

If you are interested in attending please RSVP at (847)741-4045 by 2/3/2006.

First Congregational Church of Elgin
256 E. Chicago Street (Yahoo! Maps, Google Maps)Elgin, Illinois 60120

Tonight's aring of Chicago Tonight had a segment on the documentary, "Somebody's Child: The Redemption of Rwanda", by Felicia Middlebrooks.

Favorite Children's Book Animals Stamp Unveiling

stamp2
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

Postmaster Diane Tindle at the stamp unveiling on Friday at the Gail Borden Public Library. A large crowd was on hand including librarians from the U46 school district. Good planning to have this on a teacher in service day so children could attend. See the previous post for more details on the event.

george
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

A photo-op with Curious George, I'm the one on the left. I remember reading his books on trips to the school library during my early years. After seeing this picture I think George and I should visit The Centre and exercise.

Goodyear Building Demolition

goodyear
Originally uploaded by downtownelgin.

Demolition of the Goodyear Training Center at 211 Douglas started yesterday. See previous post for a list of buildings on the demo schedule.

The city has plans to redevelop the entire block.
From the Courier News.

Also on the council's agenda is spending $20,000 to tear down the city-owned former Goodyear building directly north of the Elgin Law Enforcement Facility.
The building occupies one corner of a downtown block that is largely taken up by the Grater Inc. cheese factory but which the city would like to see redeveloped. Officials probably are not interested in seeing the Goodyear site redeveloped on its own, being more interested in a large-scale project that would include the majority of the block bound by Spring and Kimball streets, Douglas Avenue and Symphony Way, according to Deering."I think we would like to see a bigger plan, a bigger approach, maybe the whole block," he said.

What are your thoughts?

Out to Lunch at Jalapenos Restaurant

Join us for the monthly Out to Lunch event

Date: Monday, January 30th
Time: 12 pm
Where: Jalapenos Restaurant
7 Clock Tower Plaza
Elgin, IL

Dan Fox and Don Waters of the Elgin Leadership Academy will be our guests. Dan and Don have run the Academy with the backing of the Elgin Area Chamber for the last 15 years. The academy has nurtured hundreds of future leaders including a state representative, county board member, city council members, school board, social service and community organization board members and business leaders. Many DNA volunteers and staff members have attended over the years and Armida Dominguez, Jennifer Benson and Heidi Lipinski are in the academy this year. I am a proud alum of the class of 1999, "Leading Elgin Into the New Millennium". Please post a comment if you are an academy alumni and share the impact the experience has had on you.

So join us on the 30th to meet two individuals that have contributed in many ways to the volunteer spirit that defines this place we call Elgin.

The menu is an all you can eat Buffet Lunch. Please RSVP at (847)488-1456.

Event Expected to Bring Philatelists to Elgin

The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling the newest 2006 first-class 39 cent stamps, Favorite Children's Book Animals, on Friday, January 27, 2006. The event will take place at the Gail Borden Library at 270 N. Grove Avenue, from 11 to 3. Wild Thing and Curious George characters will be present and there will be many, many fun activities throughout the library. Honored guests at the 11 a.m. ceremony will include Elgin Postmaster, Diane Tindle, and Connie Neale, superintendent of U-46 schools. A unique one-day-only Gail Borden Public Library cancellation will make its 4-hour cameo appearance from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the library. More information.

This is the second time in the last six months that a stamp was unveiled in downtown Elgin. The "Let's Dance" series was unveiled on September 17, 2005 at Fiesta Salsa.

Downtown Businesses in the News

Kim's Black Belt Academy at 5 S. Spring St was featured in an article on the Larsen Middle School Fine Arts/Life Arts Career Day.

For the second year in a row, Butters, a drama teacher at the school, helped coordinate Fine Arts/Life Arts Career Day, an opportunity for pupils to explore various careers or hobbies and absorb some of the passion for those activities from the people who love doing them.
Margaret and Jeff Kim, for example, got educated in computer science and law, respectively. But the couple have turned their love of martial arts into a running business. The duo runs Kim's Black Belt Academy in downtown Elgin. And on Friday morning, they were speaking with seventh- and eighth-graders about martial arts and their love for it.

It was written by Liza Roche and appeared in the Saturday Courier News.

Andersen's Engraving at 64 N. Grove Ave was featured in an article by Lenore Adkins in the Sunday Daily Herald.

Sverre Jarl Andersen, founder of what was known as Andersen’s Gifts of Distinction in downtown Elgin, believed in doing things his way when he opened the store in 1961.
“He would take the business and always want to improve it somehow,” said his son Dave Andersen. “He never wanted to follow the template, he wanted to be the guy that writes the template.”

Metra Schedule Changes Starting January 30th

This from the Chicago Tribune.

No trains have been eliminated or added but commuters may find arrival times adjusted by a few minutes at stations between Big Timber Road in Elgin and Union Station.

All new schedules can be viewed at Metra's Web site, www.metrarail.com, starting today, the release said. Commuters can pick up paper copies of the new schedules later in the month at Ogilvie and at Union Station.For Union Pacific/West riders, Metra personnel will pass out schedules at Ogilvie during the evening rush hour on Jan. 12. Those schedules will be available downtown and at all outlying stations after that day.For SouthWest Service and North Central Service commuters, Metra personnel will begin passing out schedules at Union Station on Jan. 19. In the following days, those schedules will be available downtown and at outlying stations, along with revised Milwaukee District West schedules, the release said.

Read the article here.

Coffee Shop to Reopen

The coffee shop, formerly known as "The Daily Bean", will reopen on Monday, January 9th. The new name is "Let's Meet for Coffee". The shop is located at 109 E. Highland.

Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Holiday storefront photo from Elgin Illinois

Elgin's downtown efforts are being noticed. See the post from Richard Layman's Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space blog regarding getting students involved in the effort. Click here for a map of all the windows decorated for Window Wonderland 2005. A hat tip to Richard for the communitywalk.com site that hosts our maps. I first saw the Google Map tool on one of his posts and applied it to our site.

Downtown demolition on city agenda

This from today's Courier News.

The city council is set to vote Wednesday on tearing down a quartet of vacant buildings, a move that could pave the way for more downtown redevelopment.

Also on the council's agenda is spending $20,000 to tear down the city-owned former Goodyear building directly north of the Elgin Law Enforcement Facility. The building occupies one corner of a downtown block that is largely taken up by the Grater Inc. cheese factory but which the city would like to see redeveloped.
Officials probably are not interested in seeing the Goodyear site redeveloped on its own, being more interested in a large-scale project that would include the majority of the block bound by Spring and Kimball streets, Douglas Avenue and Symphony Way, according to Deering.
"I think we would like to see a bigger plan, a bigger approach, maybe the whole block," he said.

The locations are as follows:
64 S. State St./Illinois 31
The Goodyear building directly north of the Elgin Law Enforcement Facility.
The former Amy Plumbing buildings at 58 Kimball St. and 271 N. Grove Ave .

The old Grant Park Elementary School at 265 N. Jackson St in the near west area is also scheduled for demolition.

Read the full story by Nathaniel Zimmer here.

Condos, kids' center added to ESO concert hall plan

These details on the proposed Symphony Center were reported in the Courier News today.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra has added 200 condominiums and a children's "discovery center" to its proposal to build a 1,800-seat concert hall downtown, directly east of the new Gail Borden Public Library.

The hall would be located on the southern half of roughly 9.5 acres bound by North Grove Avenue and Ann, Kimball and Brook streets. The children's center and a four-level parking deck topped by a condominium tower would stand to the north.

Read the full article by Nathaniel Zimmer here.
Map of location.

Great American Family Diner Ribbon Cutting

The ribbon cutting took place on Thursday, December 15th.

"A Reel Holiday" Window Wonderland 2005

The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin Holiday decorating contest. Ends 1/1/2006. The theme is "A Reel Holiday" your favorite holiday movies. Click here for a map of the windows and a ballot.

Versatile Prius Used for Ribbon Cutting

The opening of the Fulton Street Parking Deck was held on December 14, 2005. Mayor Schock and Councilman Gilliam drove the new Prius city vehicle through the ribbon. This may be the first time a hybrid has been used for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new deck has parking for 550 cars and is located between South Grove and Villa Street, with entrances from both Fulton Street and Prairie Street. It is located just behind the Prairie Rock Brewing Company and was designed to blend in with the existing buildings.







The buildings in the background are Phase 2 of the River Park Place Townhomes.

The Great American Family Diner is Open

The Great American Family Diner at 231 Douglas is open!
The ribbon cutting is on Thursday, December 15th at 5pm.
I stopped by for lunch today. Here's the highlights.

• Diner menu
• Plenty of hot coffee
• My server Kathy called me sweetie
• Friendly staff and owners
• Saw Councilman Tom Sandor and Jack Sabo of Studio One chowing down

They are open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner so stop by and tell them DNA sent you.

This Saturday the entertainment is a singer performing Frank Sinatra Christmas songs from 7 to 9 pm. Have dinner and enjoy the music.

Santaland Diaries

Come to the Hemmens and see “Santaland”
Janus Theatre gets three stars from the Daily Herald

This is the last year you can see it, and we’re going out with a bang! Playing at the Hemmens Theatre with The Mark Bettcher Sextet opening the show, “The Santaland Diaries” is the true story of David Sedaris’ wild adventures as a Macy Christmas elf.

Barbara Vitello, theater critic for the Daily Herald, raves: “Gleefully subversive. This show will put a smile on your face.” ***stars out of four!!!

Come see the play that put David Sedaris on the map. This will be the only suburban performance of this irreverent holiday gem. (This show is for 16yrs and older. Not for children.)

To get your tickets to the Janus Theatre Company’s “The Santaland Diaries” with The Mark Bettcher Sextet:

Sunday, December 18 at 6p.m.
CALL: 847-931-5900
Get a discount by mentioning “Santa Baby” when you order your tickets
Get a $5 discount on Main Floor tickets. They were $20 now they’re $15!!!
Get a $10 discount on Golden Circle tickets. They were $40 now they’re $30!
(Golden Circle is cabaret seating and includes one free drink ticket. A great deal!)

SO HURRY NOW WHILE THIS OFFER LASTS AND ROOM IS AVAILABLE!!!

Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Restaurants as drivers of commercial district revitalization

I was at a party on Saturday and was asked, "When are we going to get more restaurants downtown", so I thought this article was timely.

"It was really the restaurants, they were the traffic pull, which in turn led to specialty shop development," Matson said.
From the article "Seminary Street provides the model: Built on restaurants, pubs, specialty stores," about the Main Street commercial district in Galesburg, Illinois. Galesburg was one of the three initial pilot communities where the Main Street model was developed and tested in the late 1970s.

Link to the full article
Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Restaurants as drivers of commercial district revitalization

Link to a map with restaurants in downtown Elgin.

Fire Destroys Elgin Lumber Company in Elgin, Texas

Is there a parallel universe?

From KXAN-TV, TX Dec 7, 2005, 10:19 PM CST

The same wind that helped usher in this Arctic cold front also helped fan the flames of a fire in Central Texas. The difficult weather conditions kept firefighters in Elgin busy for hours. The fire broke out shortly before 2 p.m. and quickly engulfed the old wooden structure that used to house the Elgin Lumber Company.

Read the article here.

Or this article with a photo from the Elgin Courier (Elgin, Texas)

This is too strange. I thought the fact that both Elgin, IL and Elgin, TX are Main Street communities and both have newspapers with Courier in their name. Now large fires within days of each other at vacant lumber yards.

New Features on Downtown Elgin Blog

Several new features and changes have occurred during the past week.

• RSS subscription buttons moved to the top of the side panel
• In The News section added for links to newspaper articles
• Calendar section added with downtown events from upcoming.org and links to the City of Elgin and Elgin Area Chamber calendars
• Photos from Flickr section shows the three most recent pictures
• A Google map from Communitywalk.com with downtown points of interest. A limited number of locations have been entered, more to come.
• A Google map from ATMLocator with ATM locations in the downtown

The Flickr photos and Google maps appear at the very bottom of the page if you are using Internet Explorer (IE) but work correctly in Firefox. We're working on this issue.

Elgin Junior Woman’s Club plans ornament exchange

The Elgin Junior Woman’s Club will hold its general meeting Tuesday, December 6th at the Downtown Neighborhood Association, 2 Douglas Ave, Elgin.
Social time at 7 p.m. , meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Bring a wrapped Christmas ornament if you would like to participate in an ornament exchange.

Daily Herald article.

Public Hearing for the Adoption of the 2006 City of Elgin Budget

The 2006 Budget is currently under review by City Council. The Public Hearing for the Adoption of the 2006 Budget is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at the Regular City Council Meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. Public comments will be heard at the December 7, 2005 Truth and Taxation Public Hearing scheduled for 7:00 p.m. as well. Due to the size of the Budget, it has been saved as seven separate sections.

Proposed 2006 Budget – Entire Document (10,282 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 1 (1,341 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 2 (2,244 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 3 (2,376 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 4 (5,630 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 5 (1,076 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 6 (1,823 KB)
Proposed 2006 Budget – Section 7 (2,317 KB)
If you have questions or would like to contribute your budget comments email: budget@cityofelgin.org, or call 847-931-5930.

Traffic Enforcement Forum

As part of a continuing series of community forums, the Elgin Human Relations Commission will sponsor a traffic enforcement forum Thursday, Dec. 6, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the West Conference Room, at The Centre, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin.

“Traffic enforcement and police interaction with citizens during traffic stops is often looked upon as confrontational and negative,” said Dorothy Brandon, the City’s EEO specialist. “This forum is designed to educate people on Elgin traffic enforcement practices.”

Elgin police Chief Lisa Womack will provide an overview of traffic law enforcement within the City of Elgin while also providing a data report. Participants will be able to ask questions.

Nominations for the 2005 Elgin Image Awards

The Image Advisory Commission is currently accepting nominations for the 2005 Elgin Image Awards. Nomination forms are currently available at City Hall, The Gail Borden Library, and The Centre of Elgin. The deadline for submittal is Friday January 6, 2006.

The annual competition honoring beautification and image-enhancement efforts by local individuals, businesses, and organizations has always attracted a lot of interest from across the community. Past winners in the thirteen year old competition have included organizations such as the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and Talisman Theatre, special events such as the Gifford Park Association’s annual Housewalk, the Chamber’s Enhancing Elgin campaign, many outstanding individual volunteer efforts and numerous civic organizations and local businesses. The principal criterion for the Image Awards is simple – nominees have had to make a substantial positive impact on the improvement of Elgin’s image. There are five categories for the annual awards including Individual/professional, Individual/volunteer, Projects (such as special events, fundraising projects and neighborhood improvements), and Organizations or Businesses. In addition to the Image Awards, the Commission also presents a Citizenship award. This award is designed to recognize individuals whose outstanding activities and efforts exemplify the meaning of citizenship.

Winners are selected by members of the Image Advisory Commission, and will be honored at the annual Image Awards event scheduled for March 9th, 2006 at The Centre of Elgin. For more information or questions regarding the Image Awards please contact Meredith Hannah, Marketing Officer at 847-931-5593.

Fire Rages at Elgin Salvage Yard

Sunday night at 5 pm I saw a huge column of smoke rising from the southwest. This was from the corner of Congdon and Dundee. Minutes later the flames were clearly visible from the Northwest Tollway where it crosses the Fox River. At 8:30 pm some smoke and flames were still visible from Route 31.

Daily Herald article and photo.

UPDATE:
The fire was at the former Seigle lumberyard not Elgin Salvage as previously reported.
Courier News article and photos.
Daily Herald article from December 6th.

America Unchained Day - Belated

OK, I didn't post this in time for the official day but the concept can be applied year-round.

From the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation:

On the last Saturday before Thanksgiving, the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) wants retailers and consumers across the country to join in the second annual celebration of America Unchained. On November 19, consumers in communities around the country will be asked to shop only at locally owned businesses to maximize the impact of their dollars and potentially inject millions more into their local economy.

Sometimes seemingly small acts can make a big impact. Take family spending. You may think you're just fulfilling your family's wants or needs when you shop or dine out. Think again. The choice of where you spend your money makes a big difference to your community. Spending your money with locally-owned independent businesses puts your money to work directly helping your community's economy?just one way your community benefits from its home town businesses. Those businesses use goods and services of other locally-owned independent businesses--circulating your money three to three-and-a-half times longer locally than if you spend it at a chain*. This creates greater community health and prosperity.

Read the entire article here.

Another article here from Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space.

Just two weeks ago, a neighbor mentioned he rather spend his money at locally owned businesses. He just needed to be better informed on what they have to offer and where they are. I think we can help him out.

Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Seattle neighborhood looks forward carefully, lessons for us?

What can we learn from others? Redevelopment in Seattle and Washington DC. This post Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Seattle neighborhood looks forward carefully, lessons for us? compares development in Seattle and Washington DC and has a great Google Map of one Washington DC neighborhood. I find Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space and the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation as great resources for learning what is happening in other communities and how we can learn from them as we strive to redevelop downtown Elgin.

It's Happening Downtown - 12/2 - 12/11

Dinos on Parade - Fri.,December 2, 7:30pm
Come see these dinos for the last time…or take one back with you!! Please join the Elgin community with food, raffles, music, and an auction at the Gail Borden Library. Buy your tickets at the door, attire is casual.

The Nutcracker - Fri. & Sat. Dec. 2nd - 3rd
Join Downtown in going to this classic performed by the Civic Ballet of Chicago at the Hemmens. Night shows are at 7:30pm and a matinee at 3pm. Tickets are $10 or $15 if you mention “Mouse King”. To order please call 847.931.5900.


Window Wonderland - Saturday December 3rd
Time to grab the friends and family and take advantage of all the activities, sales, window decorating contest, and entertainment in Downtown Elgin!! Details

City Council Meeting - Wednesday Dec. 7th, 7pm
DNA will be recognizing the Elks Lodge and Ultimas Noticias for the Illinois Main Street Awards that they won!! The City Council meetings are aired every Friday evening at 7:30pm and Monday evenings at 7pm on Ch 17.

Gallery Night - Wed. December 7th, 8pm
Discover the intriguing shapes and attractive designs of local jewelry designer Valerie William at the Martini Room. For more info call 847.741.0349.

Senior Services Monthly Birthday Party -
Thurs, December 8, 11:30am
Got a birthday or want to help celebrate, head over to the Senior Services Associates located at 101 S. Grove Avenue in Downtown Elgin.

A Joyful Holiday with the Elgin Symphony...
Sat. & Sun. December 10th & 11th
Gather your family and join the Elgin Symphony Orchestra for Holiday Joy, with holiday classics, audience sing-a-longs, pre-concert festivities and show stopping vocal ensembles! Special guests include the talented Elgin Children's Chorus. For tickets call 847.888.0404 or go online to http://www.elginsymphony.org/.

Who Lives Downtown?

Highlights from a Brookings Institution report.

During the 1990s, downtown population grew by 10 percent, a marked resurgence following 20 years of overall decline.

From 1970 to 2000, the number of downtown households increased 8 percent—13 percent in the 1990s alone—and their composition shifted.

Downtown homeownership rates more than doubled during the thirty-year period, reaching 22 percent by 2000.

In general, downtowns boast a higher percentage of both young adults and college-educated residents than the nation's cities and suburbs.

Thanks to Paul Bednar for finding the report.

It's beginning to look a lot like more parking...the Fulton Parking Garage Opened Today!!

Initially, the parking in the Fulton Street Parking Deck will be as follows: 3 hour parking on levels 1 and 2, and 10 hour parking on levels 3, 4, and 5. The signs have been placed on the first two levels will be installed on the remaining levels within the next day or so. The City of Elgin will be monitoring the parking situation over the next 90 days to determine the pattern of use before the parking time limits are codified. The City will also be working on putting up signs at the Spring Street deck to notify individuals of the additional parking available in the Fulton Street Deck.

Note to The Elginite, it did open in November.

Walton Island Photograph

Hometown photographer, James Jordan, has a great evening photo from Walton Island here and here. Hat tip to The Elginite for pointing it out.

It's Happening Downtown - November 23rd

Econonic Restructuring
Tuesday, November 29th
Retention, Recruitment & Marketing Strategies for Downtown Elgin.
Developed by the Senior Business Seminar Class from Judson College

From 1-2:15pm
At the Judson College, Linder Center, Eagle Lounge

Project Participants:
Dr. Patrick Alden, Chair, Business Division
Students: Stevan Djuric, Boris Jasovic, Jonathan Jespersen, Lauren Patron, Diego Rossi, Noy Saengpraseuth, David Sawdey, Timothy Tanner

*Please RSVP by Monday, November 28th, 2005
Call Downtown Neighborhood Association (847) 488-1456

Entertainment
Monday November 28th - Sunday February 26th
City Skate
The outdoor rink is located on the Civic Center plaza between the Hemmens and the City Hall. The hours of operation are 9am-9pm everyday. Warming Shelter Hours are Monday-Friday 4pm - 9pm , Saturday 11am - 9pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm. For more information please call 847.931.6140.

Wednesday & Thursday Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st
Master Magician - Tim Balster
Bringing season’s greetings at the Hemmens on November 30th and December 1st at 9:45am and noon. Call 847.931.5900 to order your tickets for $7.

Friday and Saturday, December 2nd - 3rd
The Nutcracker
Performed by the Civic Ballet of Chicago at the Hemmens. The night shows will be at 7:30pm and a matinee show at 3pm. Tickets are $20 or $25. To order please call 847.931.5900.

Friday, December 2nd
Dinos on Parade Auction
Come see these dinos for the last time…or take one back with you!! Join the Elgin community at the Gail Borden Library for spirits, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and a steel drum music by Pan Chicago. The schedule for the evening is 7:30 - 8:30pm Dinos on Review and 8:30 - 10pm for the auction. Tickets are $25. Interested in attending the auction? Contact Karen Maki at (847) 429-5976 or stop by the dinosTaur


Saturday, December 3rd

Window Wonderland
Time to grab the friends and family and take advantage of all the activities, sales, and entertainment in Downtown!!

Grand Opening of The Great American Diner (231 Douglas Ave.) For more information call (847) 289-0524
Cookie Walk and Mission Market 9am-1pm With homemade goodies at the First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave. For more information call, (847) 741-0038
Cookie Decorating 11-3pm at Pastigel Bakery 154 E. Chicago St.
City Skate free skate rentals from 11-9 p.m. (Civic Cemter Plaza behind City Hall)
Lunch with Santa 12-1:30pm at the Centre (hot dog, chips, dessert & beverage). Call (847) 931-6123 to register.
NENA's Homes for the Holiday's House Tour 12-5pm Tickets $12 at registration. For info, call (847) 931-0239
The Polar Express 4pm at 115 E. Highland Ave. Savor delicious cookies while enjoying an interactive book reading with the conductor of Polar Express. Dancing French Chefs performing the Boogie Woogie. By Books At Sunset & the Larkin Performing Arts Academy. For more info, call (847) 888-1860.
Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5 p.m., behind City Hall
Downtown Holiday Fireworks! right after Tree Lighting.
Sleigh ride on Walton Island 5:30-7:30 p.m

Sales at the following locations:
Keeney's (19 Douglas Ave) -10% off knives & antiques- Dec 3-25
Elgin Jewelers (11 N. State St.) 20-50% off all jewelry
Shockey Jewelers (18 Douglas Ave.) Annual Christmas Sale
Andersen's Trophies (64 S. Grove Ave.) 20% off all 3D & 2D subsurface crystal etching- Dec 1-25
Artistic Framing & Supplies (25 N. Grove Ave.) 20% off all art supplies, 25% off all in stock frames- Dec 1-25
That Suits You (203 E. Chicago St.) Sale up to 50% off

Sunday, December 4th
Chica Concert
1:30pm and 5:30pm show This will be a free concert at the Hemmens though you must have tickets ahead of time. So call MaryBeth Markwell for English and Silvia Ysais for espanol at 847.741.5521 ex. 112

The Spiess Building Demolition Has Begun

The demolition has begun on the Spiess building. It will be replaced by the Fountain Square on the River, a 280,000-square-foot project with 204 units including one-, two- or three-bedroom condominium units as well as duplexes and townhouses. The project includes 15,000 feet of retail space. See the Courier News article.

Update - New pics

Veterans Day Ceremony

Veterans Day Ceremony
Friday, November 11th, 2005 at 11:11 a.m.
The Heritage Ballroom in the Centre
100 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL

Happy Birthday Marine Corps

Wish a Marine Happy Birthday. The Marines turned 230 years old today.

Senior Dance on November 6th

Senior Dance for 50 and older
Date: November 6, 2005
Location: The Centre-Heritage Ballroom
100 Symphony Way Elgin , IL 60120
Hours: 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Contact: 847-531-7013
Cost: $1 per person

Oct/Nov Illinois Main Street Newsletter

The October/November Illinois Main Street newsletter is available here.

Near West Neighbors Association Meeting

The Near West Neighbors Association is holding a special public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 3rd, at The Lighthouse Church, 325 South St., Elgin.

From the Daily Herald

Steve Stroud will present a slide show featuring photos from his recently published historic Elgin house book, “There Used to Be …” and photos from his already eagerly anticipated second volume. Anyone interested in seeing historic photos of Elgin’s great old houses is invited to come. He will have books to sell and autograph.

For details, call Chuck Keysor, NWNA president, at (847) 622-1835.

Downtown Halloween Events

There are many Halloween events this weekend and Trick or Treating at downtown shops on Halloween.

Urban Legends Begin in Downtown, what all ages can do this Halloween weekend!!

TC Church
THE FUN FAIR! a community event for all Kids!
Free Admission!
> Free Candy!
> Free Food!
> Free Games!
> Sign up to win exciting Prizes!
Indoor-carnival which serves as a alternative Halloween celebration. The kids are in a safe environment. And they definitely have a FUN time!
10/31 6pm-8pm
@ 310 E Chicago
info: 847.888.8558

YWCA
Halloween Hike
10/28 & 10/29, 6pm-9pm
@ Camp Tu-endie-wei
info: 847.742.7930

MT Special Cut
Halloween Specials - Green Hair!
10/31 @ 15 N State St
info: 847.760.6528

Books at Sunset/Prairie Rock Brewing Co
Elgin's Supernatural Tour (Adult)
10/28 & 10/31, 6:30pm-9pm
@ Books at Sunset, 1100 South St
tickets & info: 847.888.1860

Al's Cafe & Creamery & Janus Theatre
"We Only Have Ives for You: A David Ives Revue"
10/27-10/29, 8pm @ 43 Dupage Ct
tickets & info: 847.841.1713/ dinner: 847.742.1180

Gasthaus Zur Linde
Costume Party - Contest with prizes!
10/31, @ 15 N Grove Ave
info: 847.695.8828

Oak Crest Atrium
Grandma's Porch on Halloween
10/31, 3-5pm @ 204 S State St
children 10 & under
info: 847.742.2255 - Zoila

Elgin Theatre Company
"Night of the Living Dead"
10/28 & 10/29, 8pm
@ Theater 355 - 355 E Chicago St
tickets & info: 847.741.0532

Gail Borden Library
"The Land Before Time" Movie
10/29, 10:30am-Noon
Enjoy popcorn & come in costume!
info: 847.429.4599

McNeil Mansion
7th Annual Holiday Open House
10/28-10.30, 10am-5pm @ 162 S State St
info: 847.622.9636-Mary

The Mission (Adult)
Medusa's Halloween Costume Party
10/28, 10:30pm @ 209 E Chicago
info: 847.488.0320

Salon De Belleza Yatzel
Halloween Discounts & Free Face Painting
10/31, 4pm-7:30pm @ 210 Dupage St
info: 847.608.2619

Senior Services Association
Halloween Costume Party Lunch & Bingo
10/28 11:30am-2pm @ 101 S Grove Ave
info/reservations: 847.741.0404

Trick or Treating at these downtown shops on Monday, October 31st from 4:00 to 7:30
Super Print
160 E. Chicago St.

Keeney's
19 Douglas Ave

Gasthaus
15 N Grove Ave

Gail Borden
270 N Grove Ave

Jalapenos
7 Clock Tower Plaza

Downtown Neighborhood Association
2 Douglas Ave

Mobile Media
231 Douglas Ave

Extreme Wireless
117 S Grove Ave

Carswell's Flooring
225 E Chicago St

Salon De Belleza Yatzel
210 Dupage St

Montana Realty
10 Douglas Ave

Quick Shoe Repair
18 S. Spring St

Spanky's
51 Clock Tower Plaza

That Suits You
203 E. Chicago St

The Cash Store
87 Clock Tower

Out to Lunch, October 31st

Please join us for the last Out to Lunch of 2005!

Location:
Akina’s Thai Restaurant
23 S Grove Ave
Elgin, IL
Date: Monday, 10/31/05
Time: 12 pm
Menu: Buffet lunch for $7, includes beverage
Special guest: Councilman Tom Sandor

Costumes optional

Please RSVP to (847)488-1456 by October 28th.

Construction Updates - Parking Lot Closing

The south portion of the City’s Riverside Drive parking lot, also known as
the Osco lot, will be permanently closed effective Nov. 1, as City crews
prepare for the demolition of the old Spiess Department Store, 32 S. Grove Street.

The northern section of the parking lot, also known as the NBD lot, will
remain open with 58 reserved parking spots and 27 unrestricted spaces
daily. Reserved spots currently located in the southern lot will be
relocated to the north lot, and will remain available Monday through
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Employees and clients who currently park in these lots can find alternate
parking in the Spring Street Deck located on Spring Street between
Highland and Chicago, or in other off-street lots throughout the Center
City area, including the Civic Parking Lot at Highland and Douglas
Avenues. The City of Elgin monthly parking permits will be honored at
these alternative sites. Permits are $30 per month and are available at
City Hall.

An additional 550 spaces will become available upon the opening of the new Fulton Street Deck, scheduled to open in mid-November. The new deck is located between South Grove and Villa Street, with entrances from both Fulton Street and Prairie Street.

For more information Ruthanne Hall, the City’s management analyst at (847) 931-6104.

The Great American Family Diner Set to Open in November

The Great American Family Diner is moving to downtown from it's Villa St. location. It will be located in the space formally occupied by Anthony's Restaurant and Jazz Club. The site is at a prime location onDouglass and Kimball. They expect to open in early November and will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Read the article in the October 25th Daily Herald.

Unilever Closing Downtown Plant

The Unilever plant at State and Highland is closing. While the loss of a business and the jobs it provides is never a positive. In the case of a manufacturing facility with no room for expansion, located in a revitalizing downtown, it is not unexpected.

Below are two excerps from the Riverfront Master Plan created in 2000.

F9
This parcel's high visibility from the Highland Avenue bridge, Walton Island and the Civic Center/Cultural Campus demands that the building be more aesthetic and less of a wall blocking the views from the west side. Temporary artwork placed on the east façade could work into a cultural theme of the Civic/Cultural Campus, with long term replacement of the building with a more human scale architecture a long-term goal. A walkway along the water's edge linking Highland Avenue to Kimball Avenue or Foundry Park would continue the riverwalk north to Judson College. A canoe chute/fish ladder on the west bank would create a longer stretch of navigable water in Elgin.

R13
Lipton Industries is a valuable corporate member of the community that would benefit by relocating to a more appropriate industrial site that enhances their business development plan. The City and Lipton should begin to negotiate a transition process that would allow redevelopment of this site in a 3 - 5 year time frame. Redevelopment site uses should be flexible to take advantage of unforeseen market opportunities to capture corporate, residential or commercial uses that would benefit from a high visibility site on the Fox River in the heart of downtown. Parking for the new site uses will need to be accommodated on site and partially in off-site areas.

Read the article in today's Daily Herald.

Festival Park Phase II Presentation to Council

The plans for Festival Park Phase II will be presented to the City Council on Wednesday, October 26th at the 6 p.m. Committee of Whole meeting. The council meets in the council chambers on the second floor of city hall, 150 Dexter Ct. Elgin, IL.

Read the article in today's Daily Herald.